Control device for well tools



July 10, 1956 c. K. MORGAN CONTROL DEVICE FOR WELL TOOLS 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed June 27, 1952 July 10, 1956 c. K. MORGAN CONTROL DEVICE FOR WELLTOOLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1952 INVENTOR. GHIQELES l6.MOEGZQH United States Patent CONTROL DEVICE FOR WELL TOGLS Charles K.Morgan, Sierra Madre, Califi, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of California Application June 27, 1952, Serial No. 295,977

8 Claims. (Cl. 166-216) surface operations and installations in wellboreholes.

One of the best known of such control devices is the so- -ca1led Jpinand slot'arrangement employed in connection with the control cageapparatus usually associated with various types of packers, linerhangers, and the like devices. Such J pin slot types of control meansand the like lock and latch mechanisms are usually employed to positionand to maintain certain elements of the apparatus or-tool in givenrelative positions at certain times such as that, for example, requiredduring the running-in of a given tool into the well casing, and thesubsequent manipulation thereof While in a remote location within theWell to release certain elements required to permit a given action oroperation in the well, such as, for example, to set the slips of apacker or liner, control a valve or other flow device, or fire aperforator gun.

In control devices, such as the J pin and slot latching mechanisms asheretofore employed in connection with hook wail type packers, forexample, it has been more 'or less conventional practice to design suchapparatus to be actuated by turning the running-in tubing string ordrill pipe upon which the tool is suspended in the well borehole to theright and to the left to respectively place it in latched and unlatchedcondition. The reverse order of action may obtain in certain cases, but,in any event, with the conventional latching mechanism, it is usuallynecessary to turn the tubing or drill string to the left at some stageof the manipulation thereof in the Well. The tubing or drill pipestrings upon which such apparatus are suspended are usually made up ofsections coupled together by right-hand threaded joints. Lessfrequently, left-hand threaded joints may be employed for certainpurposes, but regardless of the type of the threaded connectionsemployed, whether right-hand or left-hand, the turning of the tubingstring in the direction opposite to the hand of the threads employed inthe couplings is necessary at some stage of the manipulation of theconventional J slot type of control device, and this tends to unscrewthe joints and may possibly result in the disconnection of one or moreof the tubing or drill pipe sections. The turning of the tubing or drillpipes counter to the threaded couplings is particularly dangerous in acrooked well borehole or under other conditions which impose relativelyhigh friction to the rotation of the tubing or pipe. Many long andcostly fishing operations have resulted from the disconnection ofcouplings under the foregoing conditions.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to eliminate thehereinbefore-mentioned dangers by providing a well apparatus controldevice which can be actuated throughout its full cycle of operationwithout the neces- 2,753,943 Patented July 10, 1956 sity for turning thetubular string or drill pipe upon which it is suspended in a directiontending to loosen or unscrew the couplings.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wellapparatus control device which can be actuated throughout its full cycleof operative steps by rotation of the tubing or drill string in onedirection only.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a well apparatuscontrol device to perform the service heretofore performed by theconventional J type of latching device, but in which the parts can beactuated between latched and unlatched position by means of rotation "ofthe tubular supporting string in one direction only.

Other objects, advantages, and features of novelty Will be apparent andbrought out more fully hereinafter.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention, and in which like reference numerals designate the same orsimilar parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal View, partly in section, of the bridging plugassembly as it appears just 'prior to being set in a well borehole orcasing;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View, partly in longitudinalsection, of the lower portion of the tool shown in Figure 1, the sectionbeing taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the bridging plug afterbeing set in a well casing;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in longitudinal section,taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the latching collarportion of the tool; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view, taken along line 77of Figure 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the tool of this inventionis shown in association with a packer which is conventional and not partof the tool, the packer being adapted to be lowered in a well bore orcasing C and having a cage sleeve 10., the lower end of which is openand in which a mandrel i1 is positioned, the mandrel having a lower endportion 12 which extends out below the lower open end of sleeve it). Aslip cone member 47 is suitably mounted on mandrel Y11 and carries aplurality of slips 48 secured to slip reins 49 connected to cage sleeve10. A packer sleeve 56 is slidable on mandrel 11 and with respect toslip cone member 47, and a plurality of deformable packer rings 51 arecarried by sleeve 56 between a valve seat 52 thereon and slip conemember '47. A head 53 secures a valve 54 at the upper end of mandrel 11for seating on valve seat 52.

The lower end 12 of the mandrel 11 has external threads 13 forengagement with internal threads 14 of a sub 15, which is functionally apart of the mandrel, the lower end of the sub being fonned with threads'16 for attachment thereto of pipe, tubing, or a tool of any desiredtype. Sub 15 is formed with an enlargement 17 providing an annularshoulder 18, the enlargement 17 being either an integral part of the sub.or comprising a collar secured thereto, as by welding as shown at 17ain Figure'Z, or in any other equivalent manner. The upper end of sub 15provides an annular shoulder 20, the purpose of which will be more fullyexplained. hereinafter, and the upper end of the sub is also formed withexternal righthand threads 21, which are square-cut, as shown. The lowerend portion of mandrel 11 has .a reduced external diameter, forming ashoulder 22. 7

A collar 23 of generally cylindrical shape .is suitably secured, as bywelding as shown at 23' in Figure 2, to the lower end of'cage sleeve 10,and the lower ends of a plur ality of bowed cage springs '24 are securedto the collar 23 by screws 25 or other suitable means, the upper ends ofthe bowed cage springs being similarly secured to an upper collar 23aslidably carried by the cage sleeve 10. The lower end of the collar 23forms an annular shoulder 26, and a stop element 27 is suitably securedto or formed so as to extend downwardly from shoulder 26. A similar andcooperating stop shoulder element 28 is secured to or formed so as toextend upwardly from the annular face 18 of the enlargement 17 of sub15. Collar 23 has an internal cylindrical bore 30, the upper end ofwhich tapers inwardly at 31. An annular sleeve 32 slidahlelongitudinally on mandrel 11 serves as a cam element and has acylindrical outer surface 33 and an upper, inwardly inclined or taperedcam surface 34 which terminates at the upper end of the sleeve, formingan annular end shoulder 35 which is engageable with shoulder 22 of themandrel 11 during operation of the tool. Cam sleeve 32 also has a lowerend portion 36 of reduced external diameter, thus forming a lowerinclined cam surface 37.

Collar 23 has a cut-out window-like opening 38 extending through thewall thereof, of substantially 90 de grees of arc, as shown in Fig. 3and an external circumferential annular groove 39 of substantiallyrectangular cross section is formed around the outside surface of thecollar, the groove 39 ending at both ends in the cutout opening 38. Anarcuately shaped nut segment 40 is dimensioned to fit into said opening38 with only suflicient clearance to permit free radial sliding motiontherethrough, and is retained therein by an external web plate 41 whichextends between the upper and lower outer edge portions of the collaropening and is secured thereto as by welding 41a. The outer curvedsurface of nut segment 40 is formed with an undercut slot or recess 42normally forming a circumferential extension of the before-mentionedexternal circumferential slot 39 in collar 23 and in which arepositioned the end portions of a pair of semicircular leaf springs 43 ofrectangular cross section. The springs 43 are secured to the nut segment40 within the slot 42 by setscrews 44 and are of such size and shape asto extend from the slot 42 in the nut segment 40 around the oppositesides of the collar 23 in groove 39 therein. Nut segment 48 hasinternal, modified, square threads 45 and at the upper side thereof, anddisplaced from the adjacent endmost thread of the nut segment, aninwardly extending, arcuate projection 46 which serves as a cam followercapable of riding over cam surfaces 33, 34, and 37 of the annular camsleeve element 32. The lower edges of threads 21 and the upper edges ofthreads 45 are modified in shape by being tapered inwardly, as best seenin Figure 7, to facilitate release and firm reengagement of the nut rsegment 41) with respect to the sub 15.

In the operation of the invention, the packer is run or lowered into thewell bore or casing C to the desired position, with the parts positionedas shown in Figures 1 and 2, rotation of the cage sleeve 16 relative tothe casing C being prevented by the frictional engagement of cage bowsprings 24 with the wall of the well bore or casing. The packer settingoperation is then initiated by righthand rotation of mandrel 11 asuflicient number of turns to screw the threads 21 of sub 15 downwardout of threads 45 of nut segment 40. During this movement, the cagecollars 23 and 23a and cage sleeve 10 may be forced to move upwardly, orthe mandrel may be lowered slightly, in order to permit completedisengagement and separation of the nut segment from the sub threads 21.The mandrel is then shifted downwardly to a position where shoulder 22thereof is brought down into engagement with the shoulder 35 of camelement 32. Further downward movement of the mandrel 11 then forces thecam follower projection 46 of nut segment 40 to ride up and outwardlyalong cam surface 37, as best shown in Figure 7, and from there onto camsurface 33 of the annular cam element 32, in which position the nutsegment 40 is moved outwardly in the opening 38 of the collar 23 suchthat the threads 45 of the nut segment are completely 'free of threads21. Further downward movement of the mandrel will then push the camelement 32 downward completely through and to a position below nutsegment 40, as shown in Figure 5, after which the nut segment will moveradially inward in the opening 38 under the action of springs 43 intocontact with the exterior surface of the mandrel. The resultant downwardmovement of the mandrel relative to the cage sleeve results in thelowering of the slip cone 47 into the slips 44, thereby wedging theslips into gripping engagement with the surrounding casing. Uponcontinued lowering of the mandrel, after thus setting the slips 48,valve 54 is seated on valve seat 52. Further downward movement of themandrel compresses the packer rings 51, and the setting of the packer isthus completed, as shown in Figure 4.

Release of the packer is accomplished by raising the mandrel through thestill-set packer, during which movement the shoulder 20 of the sub 15 isbrought up into engagement with the lower end portion 36 of the annularcam element 32, while at the same time the upper cam surface 34 of thecam element is moved up into engagement with the lower end of the nutsegment 40, nut segment 40 being thereby moved radially outward by thepassing of cam surface 34 under the lowermost threads 45 of the nutsegment, and, as projection 46 moves off the cam surface 33 and downover surface 37, the nut segment springs radially inward forreengagement of the threads 21 and 45. In the event the nut segmentthreads do not immediately engage the sub threads, as illustrated inFigure 7, a partial rotation of the tubing string, mandrel, and sub willefiect such engagement, and engagement of stop 28 with stop 27 willlimit further rotation to prevent an overrunning of the nut segmentthreads by preventing the collar 23 from being drawn closer to subshoulder 18 than an amount substantially as shown in Figure 2.

It is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative only, and thatthe invention is not limited thereby, but may include variousmodifications and changes which maybe made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a well apparatus control device the combination comprising: anelongated mandrel; a relatively short, externally threaded portion onthe exterior of said mandrel; a tubular sleeve member concentric withand shiftable longitudinally and rotationally on said mandrel; a nutsegment guidedly supported by said sleeve member with limited freedom ofmovement laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleevemember; resilient means biasing said nut segment toward a laterallyinward position relative to said sleeve member; internal threads formedon the inner side of said nut segment adapted, When so positioned, tooperatively engage the threads of the said externally threaded portionof said mandrel; a concentric annular wedge member slidablelongitudinally on said mandrel between a first location with one endthereof adjacent one end of said threaded portion thereof, and a secondlocation with the opposite end thereof adjacent a stop shoulder on saidmandrel spaced longitudinally from said one end of said threadedportion, said annular wedge member having a maximum outside diameter atleast equal to'the outside diameter of said external threads of saidthreaded portion of said mandrel, and having the opposite exterior endportions thereof tapered to reduced diameter at the ends to formlongitudinally oppositely facing, converging wedge surfaces, whereby,when said sleeve member and said nut segment supported thereby are movedlongitudinally toward said annular wedge member and said externallythreaded portion of said mandrel, said annular wedge member is urged, bycontact therewith by said nut segment, first longitudinally into saidfirst location, and said nut segment then rides up the taper of saidwedge member wherewith it is moved laterally outward in opposition tosaid biasing means and upon continued movement rides over said wedgemember to a position with the internal threads of said nut segmentlocated opposite to and resting upon the external threads of saidexternally threaded portion of said mandrel; and means attached to saidsleeve member for frictionally engaging a surrounding well borehole wallwhereby said mandrel and said sleeve member may be moved longitudinallyand rotationally relative to one another.

2. In a well apparatus control device the combination comprising: anelongated mandrel; a relatively short, externally threaded portion onthe exterior of said mandrel; a tubular sleeve member concentric withand shiftable longitudinally and rotationally on said mandrel, the wallof said sleeve member having a lateral opening therethrough; a nutsegment guidedly supported in said opening with limited freedom ofmovement laterally therein, with respect to the longitudinal axis ofsaid sleeve member; resilient means biasing said nut segment toward alaterally inward position relative to said opening in said sleevemember; internal threads formed on the inner side of said nut segmentadapted, when so positioned, to operatively engage the threads of thesaid externally threaded portion of said mandrel; a concentric annularwedge member slidable longiutdinally on said mandrel between a firstlocation with one end thereof adjacent one end of said threaded portionthereof, and a second location with the opposite end thereof adjacent astop shoulder on said mandrel spaced longitudinally from said one end ofsaid threaded portion, said annular wedge member having a maximumoutside diameter at least equal to the outside diameter of said externalthreads of said threaded portion of said mandrel, and having theopposite exterior end portions thereof tapered to reduced diameter atthe ends to form longitudinally oppositely facing, converging wedgesurfaces, whereby, when said sleeve member and said nut segment thereinare moved longitudinally toward said annular wedge member and saidexternally threaded portion of said mandrel, said annular wedge memberis urged, by contact therewith by said nut segment, first longitudinallyinto said first location, and said nut segment then rides up the taperof said wedge member wherewith it is moved laterally outward inopposition to said biasing means and upon conitnued movement rides oversaid wedge member to a position with the internal threads of said nutsegment located opposite to and resting upon the external threads ofsaid externally threaded portion of said mandrel; and means attached tosaid sleeve member for frictionally engaging a surrounding well boreholewall whereby said mandrel and said sleeve member may be movedlongitudinally and rotationally relative to one another.

3. In a well apparatus control device the combination comprising: firstand second concentric cylindrical members rotationally andlongitudinally slidable relative to one another; a relatively shortthreaded portion on the first cylindrical member; a threaded nut segmentguidedly supported by the second cylindrical member with limited freedomof movement laterally and positionable, by movement of said first andsecond cylindrical members relative to one another, into operativeengagement and disengagement with the said threaded portion of the firstcylindrical member; resilient means biasing said nut segment laterallytoward said first cylindrical member; a wedge member slidablelongitudinally on said first cylindrical member between a first locationwith one end thereof adjacent the nearest end of said threaded portion,and a second location longitudinally spaced from said first location,said wedge member being formed with its laterally opposite ends taperedto form axially oppositely facing inclined surfaces rising from thesurface of said first cylindrical member, whereby, when said nut segmentis moved together with said second cylindrical member toward said wedgemember and said threaded portion, said wedge member is first urged bycontact with said nut segment longitudinally into said first location,and then said nut segment rides up the taper and over the body of saidwedge member in opposition to said biasing means, to a position with thethreads of said nut segment positioned opposite to and resting upon thethreads of said threaded portion of said first cylindrical member; andmeans by which said pair of concentric cylindrical members may be movedlongitudinally and rotationally relative to one another.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the said means by which saidpair of concentric cylindrical members may be moved relative to oneanother includes means attached to one of said concentric cylindricalmembers for frictionally engaging a surrounding well borehole wall.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 and casing gripping slip means coupledto one of said concentric cylindrical members and a tapered slipexpanding means coupled to the other of said concentric cylindricalmembers, said expanding means being engageable with said casing grippingslip means to Wedgingly extend said casing gripping slip means intogripping engagement with a surrounding borehole wall upon longitudinalmovement of said concentric cylindrical members relative to one another.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3 and casing gripping slip means coupledto one of said concentric cylindrical members and a tapered slipexpanding means coupled to the other of said concentric cylindricalmembers, said expanding means being engageable with said casing grippingslip means to wedgingly extend said casing gripping slip means intogripping engagement with a surrounding borehole wall upon longitudinalmovement of said concentric cylindrical members relative to one another.

7. In a well apparatus control device the combination comprising: firstand second concentric cylindrical members rotationally andlongitudinally slidable relative to one another; a relatively shortthreaded portion on the first cylindrical member; a threaded nut segmentguidedly supported by the second cylindrical member with limited freedomof movement laterally and positionable, by movement of said first andsecond cylindrical members relative to one another, to operativelyengage the said threaded portion on the first cylindrical member;resilient means biasing said nut segment laterally toward said firstcylindrical member; a wedge member slidable longitudinally on said firstcylindrical member between a first location with one end thereofadjacent the nearest end of said threaded portion, and a second locationlongitudinally spaced from said first location, said wedge member beingformed with its laterally opposite ends tapered to form axiallyoppositely facing inclined surfaces rising from the surface of saidfirst cylindrical member, whereby, when said nut segment is movedtogether with said second cylindrical member toward said wedge memberand said threaded portion, said wedge member is first urged by contactwith said nut segment longitudinally into said first location, and thensaid nut segment rides up the taper and over the body of said wedgemember in opposition to said biasing means, to a position with thethreads of said nut segment positioned opposite to and resting upon thethreads of said threaded portion of said first cylindrical member; stopmeans to stop the aforesaid motion of said nut segment and secondcylindrical member relative to said first cylindrical member when thethreads of said nut segment have thus reached the said position oppositethe threads of said threaded portion; and means by which said pair ofconcentric cylindrical members may be moved longitudinally androtationally relative to one another.

8. In a well apparatus control device the combination comprising: firstand second concentric cylindrical members rotationally andlongitudinally slidable relative to one another; a relatively shortthreaded portion on the first cylindrical member; a threaded nut segmentguidedly supported by the second cylindrical member with limited freedomof movement laterally with respect to the longi- "7 tudinal axis of saidsecond cylindrical member and positionable, by'm'ovement of said firstand second cylindrical members relative to one another, to operativelyengage and disengage the said threaded portion on the first cylindricalmember; resilient means biasing said nut segment laterally toward saidfirst cylindrical member; a wedge member slidable longitudinally on saidfirst cylindrical member between a first location with one end thereofadjacent the nearest end of said threaded portion, and a second locationlongitudinally spaced from said first location, said wedge member beingformed with its laterally opposite ends tapered to form axiallyoppositely facing inclined surfaces rising from a point adjacent thesurface of said first cylindrical member, whereby, when said nut segmentis moved together with said second cylindrical member toward said wedgemember and said threaded portion, said wedge member is first urged bycontact with said nut segment longitudinally into said first location,and then said not segment rides up the taper and over the body of saidwedge member in opposition to said biasing means, to a position with thethreads of said nut segment positioned opposite to and resting upon thethreads of said threaded portion of said first cylindrical member; stopmeans to stop the aforesaid motion of said nut segment and secondcylindrical member relative to said first cylindrical member when thethreads of said nut segment have thus reached the said position oppositethe threads of said threaded portion; means to prevent rotation of saidnut segment relative to said threaded portion in one direction butpermitting relative rotation therebetwecn in the opposite direction whensaid nut segment is in engagement with said threaded portion; and meansby which said pair of concentric cylindrical members may be movedlongitudinally and rotationally relative to one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS WareFeb. 12, 1952

